Pranay Punj Pankaj

• Associate Professor
• Professor (Associate) at Nagaland University (Central University), India

Bioactive substances boost crop output and enable sustainable agricultural methods by acting as organic insecticides, growth regulators, and disease inhibitors. Additionally, they have a significant impact on the creation of nutritional supplements and functional foods that advance human health. They also support environmentally friendly agricultur...

Secondary metabolites that have been isolated from bacteria, fungi, plants, or animals are referred to as bioactive chemicals. Bioactive chemicals are helpful in a variety of applications due to their intrinsic qualities, which include antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. A wide range of applications, from fictionalized biomat...

Dikhu River constitutes one of the major perennial rivers of Nagaland and due to its pristine beauty aids as a tourism spot. From the present study, ichthyofaunal diversity accounted for a total of 28 fish species belonging to 6 orders, 13 families, and 3 subfamilies. From the investigation, order Cypriniformes (67.9%) was found to be the most domi...

The gut microbiota, which includes prokaryotes, archaea, and eukaryotes like yeasts, some protozoa, and fungi, significantly impact fish by affecting digestion, metabolism, and the immune system. In this research, we combine various tasks carried out by various bacteria in the gut of fish. This study also examines the gut microbiome composition of...

Abstract: Aims: The primary aim of this study is to investigate the potential therapeutic effects of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in a zebrafish model of diabetes induced by streptozotocin. Background: Diabetes mellitus is characterized by chronic organ dysfunction and failure. Natural compounds, particularly polyphenols such as EGCG present in...

Background: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) represents a significant and pressing worldwide health concern, necessitating the quest for enhanced antidiabetic pharmaceuticals. Guanidine derivatives, notably metformin and buformin, have emerged as pivotal therapeutic agents for T2DM management. Aims: The present study introduces an efficient one-pot...

Adipokines are now well-known to regulate reproduction. Visfatin is an adipokine expressed in the hypothalamus, pituitary, ovary, uterus, and placenta of different species, and since it has been found to modulate the endocrine secretion of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and ovary, it may be considered a novel regulator of female reproduction. Al...

In this study, an antimicrobial protein (AMP) from the epidermis of catfish (Clarias batrachus) was purified and characterized for its molecular and antimicrobial properties. The crude epidermal extract was subjected to precipitation of proteins using 70% ammonium sulphate saturation followed by dialysis and protein separation by reverse phase ultr...

Arsenic occurs across the world in freshwater and marine environments, menacing the survival of aquatic organisms. Organic and inorganic forms of this substance can be found, in which the inorganic form is more hazardous than the organic form. Most aquatic bodies contain inorganic arsenic species, but organic species are believed to be the dominant...

Epigallocatechin gallate and C-phycocyanin are natural food supplements, gaining a lot of popularity in biomedical researches. The lethal concentration 50 value for the zebrafish model was determined using a 96 h semi-static acute toxicity test. Zebrafish were transferred into a 1 l water tank starting with a minimal dose of 8 mg of epigallocatechi...

Honey has been used in traditional medicinal systems for millennia. Even in modern times, honey continues to be a subject of interest in medical and pharmaceutical research. The diverse therapeutic qualities of honey, including its ability to promote wound healing, combat microbial infections, reduce inflammation and act as an antioxidant, have bee...

Background Viburnum simonsii Hook. f. & Thoms is one of the 17 Viburnum species reported from India. Viburnum species such as Viburnum opulus and Viburnum grandiflorum have been used since time immemorial to treat various ailments and their therapeutic claims have been scientifically validated. However, the species under investigation despite havin...

Numerous methodologies, encompassing adsorption, oxidation, and biological techniques, have been proposed and experimented with. Among these methods, membrane-based technology, stands out as an exceptionally effective approach, captivating researchers in the battle against pollution due to its promising attributes. These include cost-effectiveness...

This paper reports on an enhanced, economical, effective, and ecologically safe synthesis of esters using a direct condensation method between carboxylic acids and alcohols under microwave radiation. The process is catalyzed by molecular iodine. Using an in-silico technique, the synthetic esters were assessed for their antibacterial properties and...

Aim: Chocolate mahseer (Neolissochilus hexagonolepis) is widely distributed in the North-eastern region of India. The study aimed to evaluate the bionomic aspects of chocolate mahseer of Nagaland to validate its status. Methodology: Fish Neolissochilus hexagonolepis were collected from March 2019 to February 2020 from Dikhu River, Nagaland. Regress...

Traditional fishing knowledge dates back to the early fish catching techniques passed down from forefathers in most of the Naga communities, Nagaland. Traditional fishing is mainly practiced for household consumption and is considered less intensive than industrial fishing practices, which can negatively impact riverine sustainability. However, the...

Foldscope is a low cost, an origami-based optical microscope. It is extremely portable, durable, and can be assembled and constructed in minutes, achieving a magnification of 140X and a resolution of 2 μm. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the feasibility of foldscope by using mobile phone-based microscopy for class room study by se...

This review compares the gut microbiota of two economically significant freshwater fish species from India's Himalayas, Salmo trutta fario and Oncorhynchus mykiss. Knowing the composition and variety of gut microbiota in these two species is crucial to their health and productivity. Recent sequencing advances have helped to find and characterize di...

This review compares the gut microbiota of two economically significant freshwater fish species from India's Himalayas, Salmo trutta fario and Oncorhynchus mykiss. Knowing the composition and variety of gut microbiota in these two species is crucial to their health and productivity. Recent sequencing advances have helped to find and characterize di...

Impaired wound healing is the leading manifestation of diabetes mellitus (DM). It is mainly triggered by chronic inflammation, hyperglycemia, hypoxia, and delayed neuropeptide signaling. The rising number of DM patients exhibiting poor healing of DM wounds has, thus, given rise to the need for therapeutic intervention. Natural extracts are said to...

Biosurfactants are bio-origin surfactants synthesized by microorganisms, plants, and higher organism such as vertebrates. Due to its diverse range of profitable and beneficial properties as well as eco-friendly nature, it is gaining its popularity as a potential nature-based alternative for synthetic surfactants, which the latter is found to be pro...

The first report of African Swine Fever (ASF) was confirmed in India in April 2020, making it the second cross-border disease in India after SARS-CoV-2 induced COVID-19. The northeastern states of India – Assam and Arunachal Pradesh confirmed the first case of ASF in the last week of April 2020. Subsequently, almost all northeastern states of India...

Zebrafish is widely used in biomedical research to explore several diseases and abnormalities. A thorough understanding of husbandry is required to maintain effectively, breed and produce healthy and diversified colonies. Diet, age, size, light exposure, mating behaviour, tank temperature and time used for egg formation are all factors that influen...

The present study documents the relationship between the total length (TL) and weight (W) of an ornamentalfish, Garra langlungensis from Nagaland, India. The b value for males, females and pooled population showednegative allometric growth. No previous record on the length-weight relationship (LWR) is available for this species.

Garra birostris is recorded for the first time from the Doyang and Dikhu tributaries of the Brahmaputra drainage, Nagaland, northeastern India. The detailed morphometric and meristic data of the specimens that forms the basis of this new record are presented.

Of late, the use of natural products for various drug analyses and development has steadily increased. Cphycocyanin (C-PC) and Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) are two natural products that are gaining much attention from researchers all over the globe for their diverse biomedical applications. The former is popularly used as a protein supplement an...

D-galactose (DG)-induced rodent aging model has widely been used for the study of age-related dysfunctions of various organs, including gonads and uterus. Antidiabetic drug metformin has gained an attention as antiaging drug in model organism and human but its effect on uterus has not been studied in relation to induced aging. Therefore, we investi...

A species of the genus Garra is described from the Langlung River, Brahmaputra basin, Nagaland, India. The new species is distinguished from its congeners in having weakly-developed unilobed proboscis, a distinct transverse lobe with 8–12 small sized unicuspid acanthoid tubercles, 30–32 lateral line scales, and 13–15 circumpeduncular scales.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterised by hyperglycemia and alterations in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. Animal models play an important role in diabetic research and make a significant contribution to it. They provide researchers with the ability to monitor the different genetic and environmental factors that affect th...

Biomedical Applications of Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) - A Potent Green Tea Extract Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) a vital compound found in green tea is believed to be responsible for many health benefits associated with green tea consumption. The compound EGCG showed to be potential in regulating many disease-specific molecular targets. EGC...

Diabetes trials of alloxan monohydrate have been one of the most used diabetes chemicals. The action mechanism in β cells has been thoroughly studied and understood quite well. When given parentally (intravenously, intraperitoneally or subcutaneously), alloxan exercises its diabetic effect. Analogous to toxic glucose, alloxan typically accumulates...

The geographic position of Northeast India with its captivating landscapes, climatic conditions of rivers or lakes to swift-running stream or rivulets makes it an ideal location for the existence of coldwater fishes in the region. Unfortunately, threatened coldwater fishes have declined in population because of overexploitation, destructive fishing...

Garra chathensis, a new species, is described from the Chathe River, Nagaland, India. The new species is distinguished from its congeners in having a bilobed proboscis, a black spot at the upper angle of the gill opening, 3½/1/ 3 transverse scale rows, 16 circum peduncular scales, 9-10 predorsal scales and 32-33 lateral line scales.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia and alterations in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) exhibits many features of vertebrate models apart from physiological and anatomical characteristics of higher organisms that prompted scientists around the world to use it in biomedical r...

The Phycobilin pigments are intensively fluorescent and water soluble. They are categorized into three types, such as: pigments containing high, intermediate and low energies are Phycoerythrins (Phycoerythrocyanins), Phycocyanins and Allophycocyanins, respectively. Besides light harvesting, the Phycobiliproteins have shown industrial and biomedical...

There is radial movement of pigment granules in normal light adapted eyes of both the butterfly (Pieris brassicae) and moth (Philosamia ricini) whereas in the dark adapted state, there is peripheral distribution of the pigment granules. However all parts of retina do not respond equally. Further, treatment with 5-hydroxytryptamine, cyclic AMP and c...

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common chronic metabolic disease worldwide involving male reproductive dysfunctions (RD). Male diabetics are more prone to varieties of sexual disorders such as impotence, retrograde ejaculation, sexual drive, decreased libido, delayed sexual maturation and erectile dysfunction (ED). The incidences of impot...

Aquatic macrophytes (free floating, submerged and emergent) are ideally suited for biosanitization of aquatic system. Aquatic macrophytes have a potential to purify industrial waste water. Industrial wastewater mainly characterized by high temperature, suspended solid, oils and greases, acids and certain toxic chemicals including trace metals. Such...

NorthEast India is a region with many native freshwater fishes and is one of the ichthyofaunal hotspots of the world. According to the current study, a total of 197 valid species of fish has been reported from Nagaland, India, which consists of 10 orders, 26 families and 87 genera, from various lotic and lentic habitats. Family Cyprinidae consists...

Diabetes mellitus is a lasting metabolic disability regarding enhance etiology and permanent degenerating complications. Sexual abnormalities (Hypogonadism, infertility, etc.) are outfit a two of the discombobulate ingenious stringency of diabetes mellitus. Different hypoglycemic agents are used to control diabetes mellitus, but very few formulatio...

The Zebrafish (Danio rerio) exhibits many features of vertebrate models apart from physiological and anatomical characteristics of higher organisms that attracted scientists all over the world for its use in biomedical researches. Many versatile model organisms like yeast, mouse, rabbit, fruit fly, etc. are very commonly used models in biomedical r...

Azo dyes are widely used in textile industry. Unused dyes, consisting mainly non biodegradable released along with waste water streams without any proper pre-treatment which cause nuisance for environment and accumulate in flora as well as fauna. These also exhibit allergic, carcinogenic and mutagenic properties for human beings. Isolation and scre...

Green tea (Camellia sinensis) consists of various bioactive components which is useful in new kind of formulation to treat the human diseases. Microorganisms became resistant to varieties of antibiotics so natural herbal remedy is needed to combat the microbial infections. In the present study, polyphenols such as MQK (myricetin, quercetin, kaempfe...

Tuberculosis is a major health issues worldwide. Every year more than 9 million new cases are reported worldwide with death rate of around 2 million each year. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis in population is most supportive in proper medication and early recovery. The golden standard method for diagnosis of tuberculosis in patient is...

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the ameliorative effect of curcumin against profenofos induced oxidative damage of renal tissue in mice. Animals were divided into four different groups namely Group-I (control mice; NC), Group-II (NC gavaged 100μl ethanol for 30 days; EC), Group-III (NC gavaged 25mg/kg b.w profenofos for alternate 30 day...

The present study evaluates the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of supplementation of cell suspension of Spirulina platensis (SP) in alloxan (AXN) induced hyperglycemic mice. Diabetes was induced by intra-peritoneal administration of AXN. Mice with blood glucose level above 200 mg/dl were divided into Group I (control), Group II (diabetic co...

Infection is the major problems in diabetic patient where healing process are slow down and increases complications. Antiseptics helps to limit the growth of unwanted bacteria (opportunistic pathogen) superficially but do not work in case of deeper infection as its mode of action slows down after some time. The use of antibiotics also emerges multi...

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder in almost all countries. The secondary complications may include female sexual dysfunctions (FSDs) which are characterized by decreased libido, anorgasmia, dyspareunia and psycho-physiological disturbances. 40-60% FSDs cases are reported each year worldwide with increased late menopause period (42-8...

Broad studies and researches on fish farming in rice field have enumerated various biological and ecological advantages; the most important being effective biological weed and pest control, reduction in pollution, and environmental sustainability. Other advantages include the increased ion contents of soil, expansion in leaf area and root network a...

The present study evaluates the therapeutic efficacy of cell suspension of Spirulina platensis (SP) on estrous cycle, fetal development and embryopathy in alloxan (AXN) induced hyperglycemic mice. Diabetes was induced by intra-peritoneal administration of AXN. Mice with blood glucose level above 200 mg/dl were divided into Group I (control), Group...

Objective: The present study evaluates the efficacy of Moringa oleifera and Camellia sinensis in combination in order to investigate anti-peritonitic activity in rat model. Material and methods: Methanol extracts in combination were assayed using varying concentration of extracts (25 mgml-1, 50 mgml-1, 75 mgml-1and 100 mgml-1) by well diffusion and...

The total loss due to poor post-harvest processing of agricultural products in India when valued in terms of monetary reflects a tremendous loss in the economy. Post-harvest losses of rice, wheat, sugarcane, pulses, oil seed, vegetables fruits and root crops due to inadequate processing and preservation reached to 4.96 MMT in 1989-2001. These losse...

Earthworms virtually stand alone as a symbol of "clean technology" in the field of organic waste transformations and also stand alone as a symbol of "sustainable organic agriculture technology". Organic wastes from domestic, agricultural and industrial sources have raised greatest issues in recent years. The disposal organic degraded products shoul...

Objective: The goal of present study was focused to determine antibacterial efficacy of Spirulina platensis extract against few Gram positive and Gram negative bacteriae. Material and methods: Different extracts were prepared using water, methanol, ethanol and acetone. Antibacterial properties of prepared extracts were studied by well diffusion met...

Soil samples containing antibiotic producing organism are commonly employed for the production of suitable antibiotics. Isolated antibiotic may be bactericidal or bacteriostatic in nature. In the present investigation, antibiotics producing microorganisms were isolated from soil and tested against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphyloc...

The effects of oxytocin on mitotic cell division of Allium cepa L. were investigated to ascertain its mutagenic potential. Onion roots were treated with 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3% concentrations of oxytocin and compared with control. Significant differences (p<0.05) were observed in mitotic indices (31.28±1.0, 31.17±0.8, 31.70±1.1) when treated with 0.1%,...

Spirulina platensis extracts were prepared in water, methanol, ethanol and acetone with different concentration and tested against Staphylococcus aureus. It was investigated that water extract of Spirulina platensis showed higher antibacterial activity than other extracts whereas acetone extract showed least amount of antibacterial activity. Methan...

The efficacy of petroleum ether and chloroform leaf extracts of Azadirachta indica and Moringa oleifera were studied against Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus subtilis and Klebsiella pneumoniae for varying concentration of extracts of 200mg/ml, 150mg/ml, 100mg/ml, 50mg/ml and 25mg/ml, using...

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of supplementation of Spirulina platensis on altered blood parameters in alloxan induced diabetic mice. Methods: Diabetes mellitus was induced by intra-peritoneal administration of alloxan-monohydrate. Mice were divided into four groups of six mice in each group. Group-I was normal, group-II...

Study of foraging behavior of some of the important wetland bird species including both resident (R) and migratory (M) was carried out for a period of two successive years (2008 to 2009). During our regular bird survey in Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary (VGDS), a part of river Ganga and Jagatpur wetland in Bhagalpur district, Bihar we record...

The holy river Ganga has become a highly polluted river. River G anga at Barari, Bhagalpur has been studied for anthropogenic pollution and its effect on density and diversity of plankton. The pH of water found to be in alkaline range except in monsoon months. Two peaks of dissolved oxygen were recorded in the month of May 07 and Dec 07. Silicate w...